Special Structures (continued)

Try to avoid "stacking" a set of switchback turns on a patch of hillside. Long legs between turns help reduce the temptation to shortcut. Staggering the turns so that all legs are not the same length reduces the sense of artificiality. Keep the grade between turns as steep as the design challenge level allows. Remember, travelers will cut switchbacks when they feel it's more convenient to cut the turn rather than stay on the tread. The designer's goal is to make travel on the trail more attractive than the shortcut (Figure 58).

Figure 58—Long sections of trail between switchbacks
are usually better than short—fewer switchbacks
will be needed, with fewer turns to shortcut.

Climbing Turns

Next to waterbars, climbing turns are the trail structure most often constructed inappropriately. The usual problem is that a climbing turn is built (or attempted) on steep terrain where a switchback is needed. A climbing turn is built on the slope surface, and where it turns, it climbs at the same rate as the slope itself. If the slope is 40 percent, the turn forces travelers to climb at 40 percent. It is almost impossible to keep a climbing turn from eroding and becoming increasingly difficult to travel if the slope is steeper than 20 percent.

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